Cardinal
by destinywriter99
Summary: This is my altenate version of Inkdeath. What happens when a girl from another world accidently lands herself in Inkworld? Well, she turns herself into the Cardinal, to fight along side the BlueJay and the Black Prince. Romance, adventure, the works.
1. Chapter 1

_**Cardinal**_

_**Chapter 1:Entrance**_

**This is my second fanfiction story. My other one is a Maximum Ride fanfic, but since I've read a wide variety of books in the fantasy category, I decided to do an Inkheart one.**

**This story is set in the book Inkdeath. I got the idea for it at 2 a.m. in the morning, so if it sucks, tell me.**

**Also, spread the word about this story. I want it to do good. Tell all the Inkheart lovers to read it!!!! **

**And I LOVE reviews! So, with that said, ENJOY!**

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I stroked the hard-back cover of my new book. I had gotten it for Christmas, and had yet to start it. But I was about to.

The cover was beautiful, in my opinion. The skulls weren't creepy to me; it only accented the meaning of the title even more. The colors were matched together very well, and it was what I had been hoping for.

"Tiffany! I need you to come here!" my mother yelled at me from the kitchen. Sighing, I set the book back onto my dresser. It would be a long day, what with my mother being annoying, and my dad coming in to my room to bug me. All I wanted was to sit down on my bed, open Inkdeath, and dive into its pages like I always did with a new book. I stared at the shiny cover, running my hands over the front.

"Tiffany!" my mother yelled again. I rolled my eyes, and went to go see what she wanted.

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Later that night, I finally started Inkdeath. I laid on my bed and opened it up to the first few pages. It was amazing. The illustrations were excellent, flowing down the margins like liquid, even though they weren't moving. I wondered how much ink had taken to print it on the pages. Probably a lot. It was something that deserved to be around the summaries of Inkheart and Inkspell

I turned back to the table of contents. There were tons of chapters, all unique, all fitting. Another thing I noticed was the color of the paper. Cream, all most white, but not white. I closed my eyes and silently laughed. I was half crazy; thinking of a book in this kind of depth. It was only a book. I was over reacting. I turned back another page to read the poem, and thought it described the books well. _I am the word that speaks the man._

Carefully, I turned the page to begin Chapter 1. Nothing But A Dog And A Sheet Of Paper. It was a chapter on Elinor. She was my second favorite character. I didn't know why but she just was. My first was the BlueJay. I dreamt of one day jumping into the book and fighting along side him and the Black Prince with his bear. But it would never happen. I knew it would never happen.

I eventually tore my mind away from the far away place it was in, and directed my attention to the words. The most important part of a story. I began to read.

_Moonlight fell on Elinor's bathrobe, her nightdress, her bare feet, and the dog lying in front of them. Orpheus's dog. Oh, the way he looked at her with his eternally sad eyes! As if asking himself why, in the name of all the exciting smells in the world, she was sitting in her library in the middle of the night, surrounded by silent books, just staring into space....._

I read late into the night, long after my parents had went to bed, and my cat stopped running down the hall. I was caught and captivated by the story, stuck in its pages, with no hope of returning until I finished it. It was a strange feeling. Everything around me was blocked out. My room, my bed, even the book disappeared. All sounds except my own thoughts were extinguished. Everything left me, except for the story. I became the story; I was right in with the action and the fear. And I was lost. Lost until I was pulled to earth, to the unforgiving earth.

I have to say, I enjoyed the places in the books I read more than my own world. Because I knew things would turn out right. I always got books with happy endings, because that's what I wanted. A happy ending.

I reached Chapter 32 before I was pulled from the story by a scratching sound at my bedroom door. My cat's paw appeared under the door, slipping easily into the crack under it. I got up and let him in, all the while wondering what it would be like to be able to bring things out of a book. To be able to work some sort of magic and truly bring a story to life. Or maybe to just enter the story yourself.

My longing was so great that when I began Chapter 32, I began to read it aloud. I did not raise my tone above a whisper, for fear of waking my parents, but all the same, I read aloud. I tried so hard not to stumble over any words, tried so hard to form them just right. But what ever I did, my voice was not perfect. I would slip up on a word about every two pages, and couldn't get the words fully pronounced on the account of my southern accent. Cursing silently, I tried harder, and kept going.

I reached the end of the chapter, wishing I hadn't done it. All it brought was disappointment. It would never happen, so why bother?

Sighing, I closed the book. It was 2 in the morning. Way past my bed time. I placed Inkdeath on my dresser and turned to hop in bed. Only to find a women sitting on it, looking bewildered. She was staring at my room in horror, looking as though she had just gotten the worst disappointment in her life. Luckily, I didn't scream. The lady turned to stare at me. I stared back.

She looked as though she was in a poorly made theatrical costume, made for a medieval scene. She also looked like a character from Inkdeath. She looked like Elinor.

"I-Is your name...Elinor?" I asked shakily, almost hoping she was some crazy women who had stumbled into my house. It would be horrible if I had actually read her out of her story. I never really wanted to bring her out. She would be so lost in this world. And I didn't think I could send her back.

"Yes, I am! Who are you? Where am I? WHAT JUST HAPPENED!?" she shrieked. I froze, waiting for the thump of footsteps to start. It never came.

"Please keep quiet! My parents are asleep, and I don't want them to know what I've done! My name's Tiffany. Your in a place called America. I....I accidently read you out of your....your story," I whispered, suddenly realizing what I had done. I had made a character come to life. I had brought someone out of a book. I was like Mo....and Meggie! Joy flooded me, and I suddenly grinned. It was a dream come true!

"But....But I was just in Ombra! I was....wait, did you just say you read me out of my story?" She whispered fiercely. I handed her Inkdeath, my joy quickly leaving me. Guilt replaced it. Elinor stared at the book, and flipped through it until she reached the part where she landed in Ombra. Then she looked up at me, her eye's full of despair...and anger.

"Why did you do this? Why? I can't believe it!" She said, the anger coming out in her voice.

"I never meant to, I swear! I didn't even know I could do it! Maybe...well, if I can write the correct words, maybe I can send you back," I mumbled. Perhaps if I tried, it would work. After all, I was a great writer. Everyone told me so. I could spin tales you would never imagine, they said.

Elinor thought for a moment, then agreed.

"You had better start on it now. Heaven's above! When will I ever get to them!" she said, now talking to herself. I assumed she was speaking of Mo and Meggie.

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Two hours later, I had a rough draft of what I hoped would take Elinor home. I loved that she was there, but I knew she didn't belong here. She belonged in her story. In Inkdeath.

"Elinor, it's finished. I just hope it works," I said. She was still sitting on my bed, as if she had never moved from the spot.

"Go ahead. Start reading it."

I licked my lips, and began to read.

"As if by mistake, Elinor appeared in Tiffany's room. They both were upset, though for different reasons. Elinor, who had taken such pains to arrive in Ombra, was now farther away from it than she'd ever been. Tiffany felt guilty for pulling Elinor into a place she didn't belong. Into a place she would never belong at. So Tiffany decided to right her wrong. All through the night, she worked on the words that she prayed would send Elinor home. All night, she toiled among the paper and ink, until she had something suitable to send Elinor home with.

Finally finished, she read the words aloud. She read of all that had happened and of her guilt. She reached the part where she read of Ombra, the city where Elinor was trying to get to. About the streets and the fairies, and Orpheus, and many other people. Inside, she wished she could follow Elinor, but her place was here, in her world. And as she got to the part where Elinor would return to her story, the words echoed around her.

_The air began to grow heavy, and smelled of frost and trees. The scenery around Elinor changed. No longer was she in a teenagers room, but in Ombra, outside the border of the city, under the tree's. She hardly knew what had happened, but the girl had sent her back. She was like Mortimer. But to be honest, she didn't miss her. The girl had been a nuisance, pulling her from the story like that. Hopefully, she would never try it again._

As Tiffany finished sounding the last word on the page, she knew immediately that Elinor was gone. She just felt it. Lowering the page, she sighed, and tried to forget of what had happened. She moved on," I finished reading the sloppy writing on the page.

When I looked up, Elinor was gone. I had no idea how I did it. It was so very strange, reading about myself. About me writing and reading the paper, even as I actually did it. But the story just guided me. And I went where it told me to go.

I set down the paper, and began pacing my room. I suddenly stopped and picked up Inkdeath. I don't know why, but I had a feeling that I needed to.

Then, I was in the Inkworld. Some how, the book had transported me into the Wayless Wood. What had I done? What cursed words had I written that would do this? I didn't belong here!

A sharp tugging on my hair brought me out of my panicked moment. I swatted at the fairy, but to no avail. Remembering what it said in the book, I plucked the fairy from the air. It was one of the rainbow ones. It bit my hand, but I blew in its face and let it go. It flew away unsteadily.

I did a 360 turn, looking at my surroundings. Trees. All I saw were trees. The trees of the Wayless Wood. Just as the book described them. Bigger than any of the tree's found in the other world. It was wonderful.

But I needed to move. I still had Inkdeath in my hand, but it was no use here. The Wayless Wood was south of Ombra, so if I traveled north, I was bound to find it. From there, I would try and find Farid or Fenoglio. I looked up through the tree branches, searching for the position of the sun. It was morning; the sun could hardly be seen past the tree's. I started off towards the direction I guessed was north.

I had made my entrance in this book. My dream had come alive. But now, what was I supposed to do with myself? Only Fenoglio could tell me that. I just hoped I could find him.

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**Sorry if it was a bit choppy. This story is the most complicated thing I've written so far. Tell what you think of it please! REVIEW!!!!!!! REVIEW, PLEASE!!!!!! I love reviews. They make my happy.**

**Anyway, I forgot to mention this at the top. I own the plot and the new character named Tiffany. The rest belongs to CF. No one steal it. Grrr...**

**I will try and post the next chapter soon. Bye!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Wolf Pack**_

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**I've only gotten two reviews so far, but that's ok. I write because I like to write, not because I like compliments. (However, I do like them! And constructive criticism!)**

**To my....two wonderful reviewers, skipp20 and Kit9888, THANK YOU!!!!!**

**Well, on with the story. Enjoy!**

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Night was falling faster than I had thought it would. It seemed even darker due to the tall trees blocking out the dying sun. I would have to stop soon. There was no way I would be able to keep on the direction I was heading with out the sun's help. I needed time to gather some wood for a fire. I wouldn't have anything to eat; I didn't know what was edible in the forest and what wasn't. About a mile back, I had come upon a stream. There, I drank as much as I could, and continued on my way.

I really had no idea what I was doing. My mind just seemed to have stopped working. I mean, I was in the Wayless Wood!_ The Wayless Wood!_ It was mind blowing! I would soon be in Ombra!

A wolf howled in the distance.

Assuming I made it there. Who knows what could happen to me out in these woods. Fear made me shudder. The books described all sorts of nightmarish creatures.

On the other hand, what would I do if I made it to Ombra? Wait for the Blue Jay to appear and take me to their camp? No. It was unlikely at best. My best bet would be Farid. Or Fenoglio. I would ask around, and find out where they lived. They would be able to take me to the Black Prince's camp.

Another annoying question came to my mind. What would I do if I actually got to the camp? Sit and twiddle my thumbs? Be one of the women who sat about worrying, cooking, washing, and doing other things that women in this place did? No. I needed to do something more. I needed to make a difference; to help out some other way. I came here, even if it was by accident. I was going to make my stay worth while.

Again, a wolf howled in the distance. It was time to start a fire. I found a small clearing, and began to collect dry wood where I could find it. It was a pitiful pile, certainly not enough to last through the night. And how was I supposed to light it? I moaned inwardly. This adventure stuff was tougher than it looked. I knew that before, but then, I had been safe in my bed. Now, I was thrown into one of my fantasy's.

I arranged the small pile of twigs into a teepee, stuffed dry leaves under them, found two rocks, and began cracking them against each other. It made an awful racket, and no sparks came forth that would light the leaves. If only Dustfinger, or Farid were here. I would have no problem then.

So I sat and shivered as the final rays of light disappeared, and the moon slowly began to rise. A breeze wafted past me, and I wrapped my arms around myself to keep warm. I really wasn't prepared for this at all. I was still in my clothes from the night before. If it really was last night. Hard to believe.

A Taylor Swift t-shirt, and a pair of jeans, with soft leather shoes that were already scratched up from hiking in these woods. My shoulder length brown hair was pulled back into a pony tail. It was starting to get very frizzy and tangled, thanks to the damp air. Instead of the normally straight mess, I would wake up tomorrow looking like a puff ball. A digital watch, not that it did me much good here. A gold ring, inlaid with a ruby, my birth stone. And a book. That was all I had. It would have to do.

The wind was beginning to pick up, so I started to try again with the stones. The grating sound hurt my ears, making me cringe. Still, no fire appeared.

However, the howls of the wolves sounded louder. They must be nearer to me.

Cursing, I chucked the stones as far away from me as possible. A moment later, I heard a thump and a pitiful whimpering sound. That soon turned into a growl. The low, menacing growl of a wolf.

Apparently, they had been attracted to my rock banging. And like the idiot that I was, the rocks had hit one of them on the head.

That wolf came out into the clearing first. Blood already was matted in the fur on it's head. It snarled viciously, pacing around me in a circle. The wolf was dark brown, the color of dark chocolate. Three more wolves joined it. One was normal brown, with gray patches. One was black as the night. And the other seemed to have a reddish brown fur color. They all bared their teeth at me.

I tried backing up. The black one snapped at me. They began closing in, making to circle tighter and tighter. Finally, the dark brown one stopped in front of me, crouching low. It was about to lunge for me. Fear, terrible fear, gripped my whole body to the point where my brain stopped working and so did my muscles. I stared wide eyed at the wolf, waiting for it to take my life.

It met eyes with me. Deep gold against ocean blue. And something clicked. It suddenly stopped snarling and slowly loosened the stance it had to the point where the wolf was simply sitting there, with it's head cocked to one side.

The other wolves did the same. Obviously, the dark brown one was the pack leader. Which made it a he. All the others were probably male's too. The dark brown wolf got down on his stomach and started to crawl toward me, inch by inch. A strange sound came from him Almost like...whimpering. I backed away, but he continued to come, so I sat down and held out my hand.

He stretched his head forward, and put his nose in the palm of my hand. What was happening? Wolves were acting like little puppies around me!

I caressed his head, noticing that blood still trickled down from the cut on his head. Wondering what to do about it, I sat back on my hands. Out of no where, the reddish brown wolf knocked me on my side. I screamed, while he laid on top of me, looking mischievous. He was only playing!

Pushing him off, I got up and started walking towards the stream I had found before. Then I looked back. The wolves were following me. Good. When I reached the shallow stream, I lured the dark brown wolf into the water. From there, I ripped a strip of cloth from my shirt, got it soaked, then started dabbing at the cut. He trembled but, sensing I was helping him, did not run away. I cleaned the blood off him. The cut was already clotting. Sloshing out of the stream, I sat on a rock, and the dark brown wolf sat next to me, just staring.

"You need a name," I stated aloud. He looked at me as if to agree. I stared at him for a long time before it came to me. His eyes. Gold, dangerous, intelligent.

"Griffin. I'll call you Griffin," I said to him. Surprisingly, he moved his head up and down, nodding. I turned to the black one.

"Blackpool," I murmured, the name instantly coming to mind. He blinked. The reddish brown one was harder. I ran through several names, but none of them fit. I started to put random letters together.

"Chaska," I said, putting my hand on his head. He wagged his tail. Turning to the brown and gray one, I found him the hardest. He just stared at me, waiting. Nothing came to mind. I remembered a name from a book that I had read a while back. It was the only one that fit.

"Brom," I whispered. He came up to me and laid down at my feet. I guess I had chosen well. I stood up.

"Well, I need to be going now, or I'll never get to Ombra," I told them, as if they could understand me. And maybe they did. It sure seemed like it. Griffin ran ahead of me, Blackpool was on my left, Chaska on my right, and Brom behind me. They started walking north, toward Ombra. It looked as though they would escort me there. I followed them and wondered if this was just coincidence, or was the story binding me too now?

Because I had a wolf pack. That's not normal, is it?

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**Ok, I know it's probably bad to use the name Brom. But it was all I can think of, and it suits the wolf. So don't shoot me.**

**Please, please review!!! I would love it if you reviewed!!**

**Hopefully, I can post the next chapter soon. Until then, Bye!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Don't Need Rescuing!**_

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**Hello!!!! Sorry it took so long to post this chapter! I've been busy with school and all that. Anyway, to clear things up, the wolf pack plays a very important part in this story. But your going to have to wait a little bit for me to write it down! I have this story all planned out; it's just the matter of breaking it into chapters!**

**So, here is the third chapter! Enjoy!**

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We made it to the edge of the Wayless Wood by dawn. My clothes were torn in several places, and scratches seemed to have mysteriously appeared on my arms, but other than that, I was ok. Griffin had helped me, leading the way and making sure that it was an easy path to follow. Now, we could see Ombra, still surrounded by sleep. The night guards marched along the perimeter of the wall, and the gates were still closed. I turned to my wolf pack.

"Alright, guys. This is as far as you can go. I don't why you have accepted me and took care of me, but thank you all the same. It's time for me to jump into the midst of my enemy's. Good bye!" I said to them. I found that most of the time, they seemed to understand me. Weird.

They all just stared at me. Suddenly, Blackpool leapt forward, out into the open in plain view of the guards. The guards yelled and lowered spears at him, while he snarled at them. Blackpool ran past them and along the city wall. Griffin, Chaska, and Brom ran after him.

"Wait! What are you doing!? Don't leave.....me." I finished lamely. My heart pounded, as the guards turned towards the sound of my voice.

"Who's there? In the name of the Milksop, show yourself!" A tall, blonde guard called in my direction. I peered around the tree in front of me, and saw that three guards were marching towards the forest. Looking around wildly for some sort of cover, I spotted a low hanging branch and swung myself up into the tree. As I climbed higher, the guards stopped at the edge of the forest, looking around. They were afraid of it!

"I know I heard something! A voice! Calling out of the trees!" the blonde man was telling one of the guards.

"I heard it too. But whatever, or whoever it was, they must gone now. Let's get back to our posts, before the morning watch comes," said one of the other guards. They started off to the gates. My own sigh of relief sounded loud in my ears. But now, my heart pounded for my wolves. They were the only friends I had in this world! If they died, what would I do? Even I couldn't answer that.

Howling echoed through the dark. I climbed down and waited. It sounded like Griffin's howl.

Brom was the first to appear. He carried something in his mouth and dropped it at my feet. Shoes. Boots, to be exact. Or at least, they looked like boots.

Chaska appeared next. In his mouth were gloves. They were embroidered with gold thread.

Griffin arrived with a large bundle gripped in his teeth. I untied it and found a dark green shirt, brown breeches, and a black cloak with a deep cowl.

Last to emerge was Blackpool. When I saw him, a laugh escaped my lips. In his mouth was a sword. It was nothing special, just a plain sword with a plain scabbard. I silently vowed to find a better one later, but for now, it would have to do.

The wolves kept watch while I changed into my new outfit. The breeches fitted well, the shirt was a little big, and my feet slipped in the boots; all together, not a bad collection. Belting the sword to my side, it felt like I was a new person. A person of power. I draped the cloak over me and pinned it closed. At least now, I wasn't freezing. Finding a hollow in one of the tree's, I placed my other world clothes in it. Maybe I would come back for them some day.

The sky was beginning to lighten. Night was almost gone. I had to be in the city by daylight. Walking over the Griffin, I laid a hand on his coat. He looked up at me, inspecting the clothing. Finally, he nodded his head.

Griffin took off, running down the edge of the forest. Chaska nudged me to follow and I ran after him, with Blackpool and Brom behind me.

"I hope they know what their doing," I muttered, trying to ignore the too large boots slipping up and down on my feet. We ran along the wall, hidden by the trees, yet close enough to see it. I caught up with Griffin a few minutes. He was sitting by the wall, a proud look on his face.

"What have you found?" I mumbled, looking at the wall. A large hole, big enough for a wolf to fit through, adorned the gray stone. It seemed as thought my wolf pack had found a way in. Perfect.

I looked at them all, wishing they could come with me. They were all I had. I hugged them, and put a leg through the hole.

"Good bye, for real this time!" I whispered to them. They whimpered, as if to say, "Good bye to you too." Longing seized my heart. I hung there, half way into Ombra, wondering if I would be able to just live with them. Chaska made my decision for me.

With a bound, he pushed me through the hole. I toppled to the ground, dazed. When I got to my feet, I saw Griffin standing at the forest's edge once more. He raised his head and howled. Then he was gone.

Brushing the dirt from my clothes, I walked through the streets, uncertain. What happen's next? This story has bound me, it could at least hurry my part along. But what it had in mind, I did not expect. It occurred to me that I should put my hood over my head. With the deep cowl in the cloak, it hid my entire face in shadow.

"Hey you! What are you doing out on the streets at this time of night?" someone said behind me in a rough commanding voice. I jerked around. It front of me was guard. I was really having bad luck with the guards so far.

"Put that hood down and answer me," he said, taking a menacing step toward me. I put my hand on the hilt of my sword.

"The hood stay's up. And I have not wronged you. Go about your business, guard, and I shall go about mine," I said, lowering my voice to sound like a man's. The guard went red in the face.

"How dare you disobey a direct order! It's seems that your sharp tongue has not tasted the Milksop's wrath before. You do not fear us as the others do! You also have a foreign accent. Not from here? Don't make me have to show you the worst of Ombra. Now, take down your hood!" he commanded. My grip tightened on the sword's hilt. I was in deep trouble now.

"As I said before, no. I have business to conduct in Ombra. If you please, be gone on your routes, or the Milksop will hear of your laziness!" I said, trying to sound imposing. I had forgotten the number one rule in Ombra. Become small and humble.

The guard was furious now. He marched toward me, reaching out a hand to jerk my cowl down. I tried to turn and run, but to late.

"You insolent little....girl!" the guard almost shouted in surprise as my hood jerked back from my face. I backed away from him.

"A girl! In men's attire! Playing a man's part! I can't believe it! Do you _know_ what trouble you are in? Oh, I shall have fun with you," the guard laughed wickedly. He grabbed my arms, pushing me against the wall of a house.

"Let go of me! Leave me alone!" I shouted, trying to fight him. He grinned, took my arms in one hand, and slapped me with the other.

"Shut up, girl! For your offenses, this is your punishment!"

Fear enveloped my body as he pushed himself against me. I struggled, kicking and biting him. He cursed and slapped me again.

"Let her go!" someone shouted from a few feet away. Fire lit up the sky and danced around us. The guard let me go with a yell, and stared at the flames. Outside the ring of fire, a boy stood with his hands out. He stared at the guard with complete loathing.

"Now, move away from her," the boy said. The fear that had immobilized me was starting to fade. My brain began to work again and I realized that I was staring at the one person I needed. Farid.

A small opening appeared in the ring of fire. The guard didn't move, for fear of burning alive.

"Would you like to help?" Farid asked me. I grinned, and kicked the guard through the opening. The flames danced at his feet, and he ran away, screaming.

Once the guard was gone, Farid released the flames. I walked over to him, amazed. He stared at me, a strange look on his face.

"Your new here. You'd better learn the rules quick if your to stay," he said, still staring.

"I all ready know the rules!" I said, embarrassed.

"Then why did you need rescuing?" he asked incredulously.

"I don't need rescuing!" I snapped, my face burning. Farid laughed.

"Who are you? You remind me of someone I know here," he said.

"My name's Tiffany. I am new here. And your Farid," I stated. His laughter vanished, replaced with suspicion and mistrust.

"How do you know my name? Where are you from?" he asked. I sighed, dreading the explanation.

"You know the land that Meggie came from?" His eyes widened when I said Meggie's name.

"I come from the same land. I accidently read myself into this story. I need to find the strolling players. I need to find Mo and the Black Prince. Can you take me there?" I asked, trying to make my explanation as short as possible. Farid stared at me even more now.

"Yes....Yes, I can. But how can I trust you? How do I know your not working for the Milksop or the Adderhead? Show me proof that you come from that land," he said. I thought for a moment, then decided to show him the book.

I held out Inkdeath to him. He took it and opened it's pages, a shocked expression coming over him when he saw his name. Farid handed it back, looking at it like it was a viper.

"Ok. I believe you. But how did you get in here? The guards would never have let you in," he said. I showed him the hole in the wall.

"Alright. We had better get going. That guard will be back, and with some of his buddies."

We crawled back through the hole and began running through the forest. I stumbled a lot, but Farid always caught me. He was everything I had imagined.

A howl pierced my ears. Farid looked around and drew a knife from his belt. I prayed that my wolf pack would stay away. Wolves would not be welcome with the strolling players.

We jogged in silence for a while. Farid kept looking at me, like I was an alien. Finally, he spoke up.

"Your hair is pretty," he whispered. I looked over at him, then at my mess of brown locks.

"Um...thanks!" I said uncertainly. He went red and looked down at the ground. Then....

"You _did_ need rescuing!" he shot at me. Anger swept over me.

" I didn't need rescuing!" I yelled at him. He grinned and broke into a sprint. I followed, trying to out run him.

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**Yay! So ends chapter 3! I hope you liked it! It took forever to write.**

**Review, please!!!!!! I love reviews!!! I will try and post chapter 4 soon, but no promises.**

**Bye!!!!**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

_**Unexpected Alliance**_

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**Hello!!! I hope you all are well! I know I am! About a week of snow days, couple of early releases from school, every things good! And I've caught up on sleep. Woo! I also spent a couple of awesome day's with friends! So, ya, my life's awesome!**

**Anyway, on with the show! Or, in this case, the story...**

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Howling echoed through the silent forest as we ran. Farid had given me some dried meat from a pouch at his side for breakfast, then we had continued running towards the strolling players camp. We had to stop every so often, so I could rest for a bit. My energy was depleted. My stomach protested from the lack of recent nutrition. I wasn't exactly use to skipping meals. I would have to get used to it though, if I was to help the BlueJay.

The smoky smell of.....well, smoke, wafted past us as we ran. The camp was nearer. Finally, it was looking as though we were making progress! Endless waves of tree's was not a pretty sight after about 12 hours of exhausted running in a forest. Another howl pierced the air. It was louder. If my pack was looking for me, then it sounded like they were about to find me. Farid had his knife in his hand still, his eyes darting back and forth to look into the shadows. His fear of wolves was dangerous to me. And my pack. I needed to find a way to keep my wolves away until I was alone.

Glowing eyes reflected from one of the bushes we passed. They were gold. Griffin. Thinking quickly, I stopped suddenly, causing Farid to look back and skid to a halt with a confused look on his face. I cupped my hands around my mouth and did the best imitation of a wolf howl that I could, trying to force the meaning 'stay away!' in it as much as possible. Griffin blinked and his glowing eyes disappeared. His sharp howl signaled to the other wolves to leave me alone. Four sets of eyes went away. Four. That was one more than there should have been. Looks like I had company.

Taking a deep breath and turning to face Farid, I plastered a huge, fake smile on my face. The word that pretty much sums up his expression: dumbfounded. A mixture of shock and amazement. And maybe just a hint of suspicion.

"Alrighty then! Race you to the camp!" I said cheerfully, then took off. He followed, though a little hesitant.

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I skidded to a halt on the outskirts of camp. Farid stopped by me.

"Come on! This is what you've been running for! Why have you stopped?" he asked.

"I don't think it's a good idea for me to just walk in there. They will be suspicious...and I have to have their trust if I'm to help defeat the Milksop and Adderhead. I have to come in as a friend, or not come in at all," I stated slowly. I knew that I would not get everyone's trust. But I have to have most of their trust. Else, I would fail.

"What are you going to do then? Half of them don't trust me! If I bring you in there, they will think you are an imposter or a traitor, a servant of the Milksop," said Farid. I thought for a moment. They trusted the BlueJay. And the Black Prince. If I could talk privately with one of those two, or both, then I would have an all-access pass to the camp and their doings.

"The BlueJay. If you could go in there and find either the BlueJay or the Black Prince, then I will be able to enter freely. Could you...?" I left it at that. He nodded.

"I'll bring the BlueJay to you. Where are you going to be?" he asked. Looking around, I spotted the stream where the women of the camp did their laundry.

"Over there," I said, pointing. Farid nodded again and ran into the camp, leaving me alone.

Daylight was fast approaching, but night still hovered over the Wayless Wood like a cloud. The tall tree's blocked out the sun. I clutched the cloak, drawing it around me. The cold was trying to seep into my bones, but I wouldn't let it. Mist from the stream swirled around my legs. I walked over and sat in front of the stream, my back to the camp. If the BlueJay came, I would hear him.

A splash ringed through the night. I turned my head, trying to locate the source. Ripples cascaded over the water. The creepy sensation you get when someone sneaks up behind you came over me. Abruptly, I felt something cold and wet moving in my hair. Trying not to scream and forcing myself not to shudder, I turned around.

And met intelligent, gold eyes. Griffin. He seemed to be every where, always being where I was, always looking out for me. Crazy wolf.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in his fur. Griffin sat there, his tail wagging. Several more splashes told me that the other member's of the pack were with me too. Soon, I was enveloped in a blanket of wolf, fur threatening to smother me, and I laughed when they licked my face or arms. Brom stood in front of me, not joining in with the reunion, but the humorous expression on his face told me he was glad to see me. How I knew that he had a humorous expression was beyond me.

There was another wolf who was not in our little group. It was sitting behind Brom, as if waiting to be introduced. The wolf was a female. The way she held herself, her demeanor, said that she was definitely a female. Probably an Alpha. Her coat was straw colored, almost a golden blonde, with streaks of light brown. Her eyes were green. They stared into mine, as if judging me, trying to see if I was a threat to her.

I stood up, and slowly made my way to her. She tensed and I stopped. Slowly reaching my hand to her, I waited for her to come to me. She snapped at my hand and I pulled back. A low growl came from her. Now she was on her feet, crouched. Griffin trotted over to her and barked sharply. The female turned her head towards him, and whimpered. Griffin nudged her with his nose and licked her fur, smoothing it down. The female turned back towards me, still whimpering. I reached my hand back out to her. This time, the female brushed up against my hand, accepting me. I crouched down beside her, rubbing her coat, marveling at the color.

"I'm guessing that you're a friend of Griffin's?" I whispered. She blinked. I took that as a yes.

"And that you want to join our pack?" More blinking.

"Well, then, I suppose you need a name. How about Dawn?" I suggested. Dawn nudged me again. Our wolf pack now numbered 5. Four males and one female. Where were they all coming from?

Chaska and Brom trotted into the clearing. I hadn't noticed that they had left. They were carrying wood in their mouths. Wood for a fire. Why weren't the wolves back home as smart?_ Because they don't live in a magical land_, I answered myself.

A rustling sound came from the bushes, in the direction of the camp. Farid was coming back.

"Hide!" I whispered, standing up and throwing my hands out, to indicate they needed to hide in the bushes. Griffin began pushing me towards the nearest tree. I stumbled over him, trying not to make any noise.

"What are you doing?!" I whispered incredulously. Griffin pointed his snout upward. He wanted me to hide in the tree.

"_I _don't need to hide!" I muttered, but started climbing all the same. At the very least, appearing out of the tree would be a cool entrance. Griffin splashed into the stream and behind the bushes. The other wolves had also understood me, and hidden with Griffin.

Farid was first to appear. He looked around for me, spotting the pile of wood and lighting it with a whisper and flick of a finger. Mo followed him, glancing around cautiously, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Where's this girl you told me about? You said she was waiting in this clearing," said Mo. Farid frowned, his eyes searching the darkness.

"Here," I declared, leaping from the tree to land just outside the fire light. Just as I had planned, it had a good effect. Farid jumped slightly, and Mo tightened his grip on the sword. I wanted to seem convincing, like I could be a hero. It would help me gain his trust.

"I'm glad you came. For a while, I thought you would not show," I said mysteriously. Mo glanced at Farid before speaking up.

"Who are you? What do you want? And most importantly, where did you come from?" Mo asked.

"My name is not important. My origin is meaningless here. What I want is what matters," I replied, keeping up the act of mystery. I had no idea why I was acting so mystifying. Maybe it was because this was my first adventure. If you could call it that.

"Ok then. I am of no use to you if you are unwilling to tell me the information I require," said Mo, turning to walk away. I bit my lip, panic rising in me. I had made a mistake with the mystery thing.

"NO! Wait! Please, I'll tell you what you need to know, just hear me out first!" I cried, before he left the clearing. He turned back with a slight smile on his face.

"Now we're getting somewhere," he said as he sat by the fire. Mo motioned for me to sit too. I moved forward and did as he wanted. I needed his help. It was unavoidable.

"You begin. Tell me what you think should be told."

"My name is Tiffany Lancer. I'm 15 year's old. I've dreamt of this land for quite some time now. I came from your world, from Kentucky. You have to believe me, I want nothing more than to help you. To help you defeat the Adderhead and Milksop," I started. Mo stopped me quickly.

"Give me proof that you came from our world," he said. I reached into the deep pockets of the cloak and pulled out InkDeath. Handing it to him, I waited for him to see his name. Mo opened the book and flipped through it. His eyes widened when he saw his name, and Meggie's, and Resa's. Giving it back to me, I could tell he was in deep thought.

"Well, that seems to be some sufficient proof. Can you fight?" Mo asked. I nodded, though I had never really gotten into a fight, let alone a sword fight. Where death was waiting.

"And just what do you plan to do to help us? I don't see how you can really change the course of this story. Even if you're a girl that can fight."

Taking a deep breath, I lunged into my plan.

"Cardinal. I know it might sound cliche, but it came to me. I can work beside you!" I said hurriedly. Mo was already shaking his head.

"Your still just a child! I may not know you, but I know enough to tell that you can't be put near so much danger. I won't allow it!" He argued. Anger flared in my veins.

"It doesn't matter if you say you're going to keep me from standing beside you! Saying is different than doing! You will never be able to hold me down! I came to this land for one sole purpose. Help you! I know what I need to do, if you would just give me a chance!" I said forcefully. Mo opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.

"I'm not your responsibility! I promise you, what ever happens to me will not be thrown on your shoulders. Your not responsible for my actions," I finished fervently. Sadness crept into Mo's face.

"Fine. I guess I could use some help. But if you're killed, I will never be able to live with myself. Your just another innocent child, thrust unceremoniously into this crazy story," Mo sighed.

"It's a chance we will have to take. I want this, you need this. It makes sense," I replied. This was it. Convincing him to trust me, to let me do this. It was all finally coming together.

We shook hands.

"For now, your Tiffany. But as soon as your first battle comes, you will be the Cardinal. Forever," Mo said quietly.

"I know. BlueJay. Like I said, it's a chance we have to take."

"You'll have to gain my trust. I don't hand it out freely to people who jump out of tree's," Mo said with just a hint of humor. I smiled.

"I think I can manage." Mo nodded.

"So, are we finished here?" came a voice from the bushes. Out of the dawn came the Black Prince. He was everything the book described. Following him was his bear.

"It seems we have an unexpected alliance," said Mo, turning to look at the Prince.

I just hoped it would last. I hoped I wouldn't screw things up.

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**Tell me how you liked it please!!!! It took forever to write!!!**

**Did anyone go see InkHeart? I DID!!! I thought it was pretty good, as far as books-turned-into-movies go.**

**Well, good bye for now! REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!! **


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

_**Confrontation**_

**I am so, so, so, so, soooooo sorry, I have not posted in forever!!! I just got really, really busy with everything, and totally forgot! I'm going to write this short chapter, then there should be another one coming soon after it. Again, SORRY!!!**

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The Black Prince's arrival startled me. I looked at Farid in surprise, and he seemed just as spooked out as me.

Standing up quickly, I almost withdrew into the shadows again, but Mo put a hand on my shoulder. The Black Prince stood on the other side of the fire, analyzing me. His bear snuffed around him, then straightened to stare at me also. It freaked me out.

"Prince. This is...," Mo was suddenly cut off.

"I know who she is. I heard the conversation," the Black Prince cut in, before Mo could get in another word.

"So. Tiffany. What a strange name. But then again, your from a strange land. Tell me, you wish to fight with us?" he questioned, taking a step forward. I held my ground, though fear rose in me at the sight of his bear.

"...Yes...," I answered him. The Black Prince looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. Relief washed over me.

"You may spy for us, and do other such things," he announced. My heart sank. That's not what I had in mind. I wanted to fight on the battle ground, with a sword in my right hand, shield in my left.

"Er....I don't think I made myself clear. I want to fight with a sword, not sneak around a smelly city. I want to go on raids with the Bluejay and yourself," I said, trying not to offend him, but probably failing.

The Prince's eyebrows raised. I really couldn't tell what expression though. His face was impassive. But his word's told all.

"Women do not fight in this world. They cook, clean, and nurse children. They are good wives. If you are to survive in this world, then learn that lesson quickly. You will do as your told, or you can go find your own way in Ombra," the Black Prince said scathingly.

I winced at the anger in his words, but indignation flared in me. I wasn't very patient at the best of times, and being an only child back home had made me stubborn and a bit selfish. No Prince was going to tell me what to do, whether he was a hero or not! I know what I'm supposed to be doing!

"Either you let me fight on the battlegrounds, or I will go back to my own world!" I seethed.

The Black Prince opened his mouth to reply, but the Bluejay cut him off.

"We may need her. We are outnumbered in men, and in our world, women are allowed to fight. She could be just as valuable as the other men," the Bluejay stated. The Prince looked at him, then gestured to walk away from the fire. They huddled up, and began to whisper to each other outside the firelight. It sounded like they were arguing.

I sighed, and moved closer to the flames. Farid, who had been hiding in the shadows, came to stand beside me.

"I believe you could fight with us. I bet your just as good with a sword as the Bluejay!" he whispered in my ear. I stared into the fire, my spirits rising little. Why was he trying to encourage me? He just met me!

The Prince's bear began to growl softly. I stiffened, looking up to see the bear on all four's, sniffing the ground. Behind me, I could hear the faint growling of my wolf pack. This was not going to be good.

Finally, the two hero's turned back towards me.

"We have decided to give you a chance. Prove yourself to me, and you can join us permanently. Meanwhile, you may stay in the camp with the Bluejay's daughter. However, I was hoping we might get to see some of your skill's now? Maybe, fight me? Not to kill, but who ever draws first blood," the Prince inquired. Relief and fear flooded me at the same time. They were giving me a chance. But then again, I had to fight the Black Prince. I was so screwed.

My fencing lesson's back home would do me little good here. Fencing swords were meant to jab forward. Here, you slashed and stabbed your way through.

The Black Prince drew one of his swords. The Bluejay turned to me, and gave me his. Wow. An honor, to hold his sword. I really couldn't remember it's origin at the time. My mind was racing, trying to figure out what to do. Cause the sword was heavy, and difficult to hold in my hand.

I stood to face the Prince, but just as he took a step toward me, disaster struck.

A harsh bark came from behind me, and my wolf pack leapt in front of me, all snarling and snapping at the Prince. They thought I was in danger!

The Prince's bear roared and stepped in front of his master, protecting him as my wolves protected me.

The Prince, the Bluejay, and Farid all yelped and fell back. I stood, shocked, unsure of what to do.

"What is this?! Some sort of trap, to kill us? Are you working for the Milksop? Answer me!" the Prince yelled, while his bear began to advance on my wolves. Fear constricted my throat, but I swallowed, and cried out to them.

"No!! No, please, I'm what I said I was! These wolves accepted me when I came into this world! They are my only friends and guardians! Just like your bear is your guardian! They are one and the same!" I cried. The Bluejay's eyes went wide, as did Farid's. Farid even looked....afraid of me. Crap.

"Call off your wolves!" the Black Prince shouted. Griffin snapped at the bear's feet, but jumped back before the bear could hit him.

"Call off your bear!" I practically screamed, my fear for Griffin's life growing.

The Black Prince whistled, but the bear paid no heed. My wolves were circling him, and the bear was so intent on killing them. Double crap!

"Griffin! Chaska, Brom, Blackpool, Dawn! Come to me! Stop, please! They're not trying to hurt me! Griffin!!!" I yelled over the growls and snarls.

Suddenly, the bear looked up at me. It's black eyes, full of rage, drilled a black hole in me. It roared, and charged through the line of wolves, almost crushing Chaska in it's haste. The bear was coming straight for me.

I shrieked, and took off running into the woods. Finding a low branched tree, I grabbed hold, and hoisted myself up into the foliage. As I started to climb higher, the bear caught up. So did Farid, the Prince, the Bluejay, and my wolves. They howled, wanting to reach me. But they were not meant for climbing. The bear was. It hooked onto the tree's bark, and began to climb.

I screamed at my wolves to leave. They did, amazingly. But I heard their whimpers as they went.

"Stop your bear! Stop him, Prince! I have not done anything!" I wailed. I really didn't want to die this way. I didn't want to die at all!

The Black Prince took a running start, then jumped onto his bear's back.

"Enough! It is over! Enough!" the Prince shouted in the bear's ear. The bear halted it ascent, and growled. Then it began to climb back down.

When they reached the ground, the Prince looked up at me.

"Go back home, Tiffany! Your not meant to be here! I doubt you will ever gain anyone's trust, with your wolves. Do not come near our camp again!"

The Black Prince left with his bear. The Bluejay hesitated, looking up at me with pity, but soon followed. Farid didn't even look back.

The tears came. This confrontation wasn't supposed to happen! Where had it gone wrong?

Crying, I climbed down, and slid down till I was sitting on the ground, weary and crying. Stuck in this stupid world with no friends except over-protective wolves. Wearing guy's clothing. I sat there and sobbed for a little while.

Griffin came back, along with the others. Soon, I was buried in a pile of five warm, soft wolf coats. Drifting to sleep, my last thoughts were of Farid.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

_**Sword or Arrow?**_

**Now that my other story is complete, I have more time to work on this one!!! Yay! Here's the next chapter.**

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Dawn broke over the tree's, filtering down to the forest floor. I opened my eyes to find myself buried in blankets, not wolves. My wolf pack was standing in a ring around me, keeping guard. There was a crackling sound coming from the middle of the clearing. I sat up, wincing when I realized that I had slept on top of a tree root all night. Just great.

Farid sat by a fire, twirling a flame around in his fingers. The Bluejay sat next to him, frying something in a pan. It smelled like bacon. My stomach moaned loudly.

I slipped out from under the pile of blankets, and stood up. Farid looked up at me, and I smiled sheepishly. He only frowned and continued to play with his flames.

Griffin came over and licked my face. I patted him on the head, then greeted my pack. All the while, Farid watched me. His stare was making me nervous.

The Bluejay stood up, and smiled warmly at me. At least he wasn't mad. Or shunning me.

"I've made breakfast for you, but your going to have to come get it. Your....wolves won't let us come near you. We brought the blankets, but your wolf pack slid them on you."

I finished greeting my wolves and crossed over to got my breakfast. Eggs, and what looked like fried chunks of ham. Beginning to eat with my hands, the Bluejay started to talk to me.

"You should have told us about the wolves, Tiffany. It will take a great deal of effort to get the Black Prince to trust you. But we can worry about that later. Tell me about your wolves."

I swallowed my last piece of ham, then licked my fingers of grease while I pondered the question. Tell him about my wolves....well, if it's an explanation he wanted, an explanation he shall get.

"I don't know how my wolves tick. I just know they are my guardians and my friends. I had just arrived in the woods, and they came to me, growling and hungry for my blood. Then one of them, Griffin, looked my in the eye, and something just clicked. It was so strange, and I can't really explain it."

The Bluejay nodded, his face gentle.

"Like the Black Prince and his bear?"

"Right."

"Well, which one is Griffin?" the Bluejay asked. I walked over and put my hand on Griffin's head. The Bluejay stared at Griffin, and Griffin stared back. Then the Bluejay shook his head, and asked who the others were.

Slowly, I pointed out Blackpool, Chaska, Dawn, and Brom. The Bluejay looked at them each in turn, as if trying to analyze them. Finally, he nodded.

"Now that I understand a bit more, we can work something out. I must go talk to the Black Prince, but before I do, I want to see how good you are with a sword." My hopes rose even more.

The Bluejay stood and pulled a sword out from behind him. I took it, and swung it around. It wasn't too bad, not too heavy, but not too light. The blade was a little long for me, but I liked it. The hilt was two copper bars pulled and twisted together, forming a pommel that was almost too big for me. It was better suited to me than the Bluejay's sword from last night. Altogether, a nice sword.

With a shock, I realized that I had no idea what had happened to the sword Blackpool had stolen for me. Or what had become of the Bluejay's sword when the bear attacked me. Glancing at the Bluejay, I saw that he had his. Good. He must have picked it up last night.

Griffin began to growl when he saw our intentions. I turned to him, and assured that he wasn't going to hurt me. That we were just testing each other. Griffin seemed to understand, and backed off. My wolves sat at the edge of the clearing, watching.

I took hold of it with two hands, and faced him. He drew his sword, and casually stood, waiting. A tendril of anger flared in me. How could he be so nonchalant? He doesn't even know how good I am!

I ran at him, raising the sword high above my head. The Bluejay shook his head, and stepped to the right. I ran right past him, slashing through air. It was more difficult to stop than I had anticipated!

Wheeling around, I decided on a more stealthy approach. I lined him up in my vision, and walked toward him, yet not letting my guard down. He stood there, waiting. Finally, I stabbed at him, and he knocked my sword from him with a flick of his wrist. This was going to be difficult.

Then we were sparring, using a number of techniques and blows. I focused on trying to break through his defense, but I also had to keep up my defense. On a normal day, I would have thought it very tedious, but now adrenaline was pumping through my veins.

We spent most of the morning, and some of the afternoon sparring. The Bluejay would occasionally stop me to give me some pointers and show me different blows. He taught me how to administer these blows, and showed me different scenario's. Basically, sword-fighting 101. Taught in a day. By the end of the lesson, my mind was reeling, and my body was exhausted.

We stopped to eat, and I finally noticed that Farid had not moved from his spot all day. His staring was getting annoying. I walked over and sat down beside him. He stiffened.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't want to tell you about my wolves, because then, you wouldn't have helped me. And I needed help. Sorry."

Farid looked at me, and nodded.

"Wolves...are one of my fears. Always have been," he said. I already knew this, but didn't mention it. Telling him I knew his life story wouldn't be a good way to patch up a friendship. However small the friendship may be.

"My wolves will never harm you, Farid. They follow my orders, and I would never have them attack you." I assured him.

He nodded again. Then said something that surprised me.

"I'm not sure why I trust you so much. But I do. And I promise you, Tiffany, I'll do anything I can to help you."

I stared at the ground, heat rising in my cheeks. This was something new to me. What was I supposed to say to that.

In the end, I thanked him, and went to sit with Griffin and my wolf pack. Griffin sniffed at the scent of meat on my hand, then barked shortly at the others. Standing up, he gave me a look that said, "We'll be back soon", then the pack ran back out of the clearing.

After lunch, I picked my sword up to continue the lesson's, but Mo shook his head.

"I must go to the Black Prince now. We have much to discuss. I will come back to you, for I'm sure that the Prince will agree to another meeting. Perhaps, without your body guards..." teased Mo. The Bluejay. What ever I was supposed to call him. He exited the clearing, and then it was just Farid and I. He made me nervous, a weird kind of nervous. I fingered my sword's blade, then went to sit beside him again. Finally, Farid looked at me and smiled. I smiled back, setting my sword down.

"When everything gets sorted out with you and the Prince, I'll take you back to Ombra. Show you the city. You'll need to know the area, if you want to fight along side the Bluejay", Farid offered.

"That would be great! I am just starting to get used to all this...it's like a dream!" I said, staring at the tree's of the Wayless Wood. Farid said nothing. Then...

"What was your world like? I've been there before, long ago. But, you probably lived in a different area than Meggie."

"Yes. I lived in America....in a state called Kentucky...." I said, then continued to tell him of the land, of the people I had known. Farid listened silently, his eyes wide. When I had told him all that I could think of, he sparked up a flame.

"Someday...I'd like to go there. If we ever got out of this place...ever returned home." Sadness enveloped his eyes. He knew. That he could never go home. Earth wasn't his home...nor was the Inkworld.

Suddenly, I noticed how late it was. The sun had sunk almost below the tree's. Where was the Bluejay?

As if he heard her thoughts, the Bluejay appeared back in the clearing. This time, he had a bow and quiver full of arrows in his hands. I ran over to him, impatience twisting a knot in my stomach.

"I spoke to the Black Prince again. He agreed to have council with you again. I trust you, and he trusts' me. Therefore, he has no choice but to trust you. And he finds that your wolves, now that their not threatening him, are fascinating. I will take you to him tonight, before dinner. But first, I want to see how good you are at archery. I want to know what your skills are", he said, handing me the bow, then looked for a good target. A large patch of bark had been torn off a tree, about 30 meter's away.

"Try shooting at that bare tree. It's not too far."

I grinned and looked at the bow in my hands. It was made well, very sturdy. What the Bluejay didn't know was that I had been doing archery for years. I was the best in the state. I competed, practiced....it was my thing. My talent.

Notching an arrow to the string, I pulled back, and let it loose it one swift movement. The arrow flew true, hitting the bare tree at its center and burying deep. Farid's mouth dropped open, and even the Bluejay seemed impressed.

"I see you have experience with the bow! That's great! We need more archers. Tomorrow, perhaps, we will test your skill some more. I have a feeling it will be beyond our expectations", the Bluejay complimented. He flashed me a warm smile, and for a moment, I didn't feel so out of place.

"We'll have to get you a better bow though. And your own quiver, with arrows."

My own bow. And arrows. Maybe, just maybe, the players would except me. It seemed that the Bluejay already had. I yanked the arrow from the tree, and went to pick up the sword, to give the weapon's back to him. But he shook his head.

"Keep the sword. It's yours now, and it's a good one. You might need it in the future. Keep the bow and arrows for now too."

"Thank you, Bluejay. I'm honored", I stated, clutching the weapons. He nodded.

"I think we should get going now. The Prince will want to know more about you, and it's getting late."

I slung the quiver over my cloaked shoulder, and belted on the sword as best I could. Picking up the bow, I glanced at Farid out of the corner of my eye. He was staring again.

"Coming Farid?" I called, starting to walk out with the Bluejay. He jumped up, and drew level with me as we walked. We started to chat of Ombra, but on the inside, I was realizing something.

I would chose the bow over the sword any day. It would help them out a lot to have an archer on their raids. Or, at least that's what the Bluejay implied.

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**Wow. I haven't posted in...months. You people have probably given up on me. All I can say is...sorry. Too much going on, and my computer...well, it's gay. Anyway, for those whom have been waiting, here is the sixth chapter...REVIEW!**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

_**Into the Player Camp**_

**I apologize for just leaving this story hanging. But now that I'm on summer break, perhaps I can finish it. This chapter might be a bit boring, but it's necessary. Enjoy, and again, I'm sorry.**

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As we entered the camp, the people turned to stare at us. Crude tents were erected all along the large clearing, where men and women were running about, doing what needed to be done. I saw no children, but it didn't surprise me. However, the people must not have heard anything about me, because they gave me the strangest glances.

The Bluejay led me to a tent that was larger than the other's. The Black Prince's tent, I assumed. Entering, I saw a large table with parchment laid all about it, a cot set up at the side, and packs that I could only guess what they held. Black oil lamps dimly lit the tent. The Black Prince stood in front of the table, frowning down at some sort of map.

Farid hung back in the shadow's. He motioned me to do the same. Only the Bluejay stepped forward into the light, drawing the Black Prince away from his maps.

"Hello Bluejay. You've brought the girl?" the Black Prince asked, although I noticed his voice was less stern than last time.

"I have. You'll be glad to know that she is good with a bow. Excellent, if I may say so. However, I only had her fire one shot. You'll want to test her yourself."

The Black Prince nodded, a thoughtful expression crossing his face, and then he picked me out of the shadows.

"Please, come into the light, Tiffany", he said. There was something different about him today. Less harsh, more kind. Less suspicious, more accepting. I walked up beside the Bluejay.

"So, you really think you want to join the actual fighting? Even though you have no experience of this realm?" the Prince questioned.

"Yes. It's not merely a want...it's a need. I just have this feeling that I can help you by doing this", I tried to explain.

"I've thought this over for some time now. I believe it's necessary that you stay at the camp with us. Its too dangerous for you to try and stay in Ombra with no idea of how to live there."

Relief flooded me, but only a little. At least I had a place to stay. Now to convince him to let me fight. But the Black Prince was still speaking.

"...As for your request to fight with us, I think I need to see you fight with my own eyes. With sword, and bow. Then I will decide for sure. Understand, a woman fighter has never been seen in this realm."

"Thank you, Prince, for your generosity. And thank you for at least giving me a chance", I said, bowing. The Prince smiled, to my surprise. Then the smile faded, as quickly as it appeared.

"And now we come to the most important, if not the most dangerous, part of this council. Your wolves."

Apprehension knotted my stomach. Of course. It all comes down to my wolves. I was starting to wish I had never met them, had never thrown those rocks.

"In this land, wolves are feared. All they have ever brought is death and destruction. They will not be accepted easily in this camp. However, I understand your bond between them. It is the same with my bear and I. And they accepted the bear."

"I promise, they will not harm these people, unless the people harm me. They are perfectly friendly. My friends, and my guards. We are family, almost. They understand me, and I understand them. They will listen to me", I assured them. The Prince nodded.

"I am going to have my people gather outside, and I will explain. It will take them a while, but eventually, they will warm up to you. You need to be there while I explain", he stated.

"O-ok", I stammered. The Bluejay put a hand on my shoulder, as if to reassure me, and we walked back out of the tent. Farid stayed, watching me leave.

The men and women stopped what they were doing when they saw the Black Prince, and bowed low. The Prince called out among them.

"Gather around me, my people! I have some interesting news!" the Prince called. People came out of tents, left their duties, and stopped in front of us. Once everyone was there, the Prince started to speak.

"Friends, I want to announce that we have some one new. Step forward, Tiffany."

I stepped forward, my mind whirling around what was happening. The people stared at me with suspicion, surprise, and even welcome.

"This is Tiffany Lancer. She is 15...young. Also, you should know that she comes from the world which Meggie and Resa came from. I want you to welcome her, make her feel at home. She's traveled far to reach us."

Many people nodded at me. I smiled shyly back.

"There is something special about Tiffany. She has a gift, quite like mine. I have a bear...and she...has wolves."

Many people gasped, casting me distrustful and fearful looks now. I winced. Just great.

"These wolves are her friends, and follow her command. But that doesn't make her an enemy. Her wolves are different, and I ask you to not fear them or her. Now, Tiffany, if you would care to call your wolves", he said, turning to me. I gulped. This would not go over well.

I ran to the edge of the clearing, behind a couple of tents, facing the forest and hidden from the view of the people. Cupping my hands around my mouth, I did the best wolf howl I could. The notes growled out from my throat easier than they had the first time I had done it. Audible gasps rang through the camp, and an answering howl came soon after I'd stopped.

Only a few moments later, my pack was skidding out of the tree's, and they followed me back out into the open. I stood with my arms crossed, watching the people. Their eyes were wide with fear. Some looked intrigued, and other's looked at me as though I was insane. Griffin sat at my feet, almost glaring at them, daring them to show defiance. As did I. The other's sat around me, surveying the men and women.

"As you can see, the wolves answer to Tiffany. They are well controlled by her. And to both our knowledge, they act like humans....understanding, thinking. They won't attack unless you give them reason to. I expect you to treat Tiffany just the same as everyone else. That is all I have to say. Thank you, and peace be with you all", the Black Prince finished. He turned to me, eyeing the wolves with some thing like fascination.

"You can stay at the Bluejay's tent. Resa and Meggie have already been informed of you. We will find some more clothes for you, and some jobs. For now, he will take you to them, and you can get acquainted. Come back to my tent tomorrow morning, and we will see what your archery skill's are like. Good night, Tiffany, peace be with you." He went back to his tent. With a jolt, I realized that it was dark out. The sun had set.

The people dispersed, throwing me looks with mixed emotions. The Bluejay stood in front of me.

"You ready to meet my family?" he asked. I nodded, then looked uncertainly at my wolf pack. He laughed.

"You can bring them too. Their part of you, and follow you every where, so I don't think it would make a difference if you told them to leave. They would just come back."

I followed the Bluejay deeper into the camp until we came out on the other side. Nestled into another, smaller clearing was a cottage. A soft glow came from the windows.

"Welcome to your new home!" the Bluejay said. For the first time, I noticed the deep lines in his face, caused by a mixture of pain and love. When we reached the front door, I turned to my wolves.

"Stay here. This is where I'm staying from now on, and I want you to guard it well. Good night, my wolf pack", I whispered in the dark, laying a hand upon each of their heads. They blinked up at me, a silent good night. Through all this, I knew the Bluejay was watching, but I didn't care.

At last, he opened the door and we entered. The last thing I saw in the darkness was my wolves spreading themselves out around the perimeter of the cabin.

Resa looked up from the boiling pot of....whatever it was. She smiled at the Bluejay, and kissed him, then turned her eye's on me with a quizzical look.

"Resa, this is Tiffany. She's from our world, and she will be staying with us for as long as she's here."

Resa smiled warmly at me, concern and sympathy flooding her eyes.

"Hello Tiffany! Nice to meet you. Your welcome here, and safe. We will teach you about Ombra, about this world. But for now, come sit, and eat. I've made a stew. It's not half bad, really. Different than our food back home, but still good", she said, ladling out four bowls of the stew.

Shyly, I took mine, thanked her quietly, and stood holding the rough wooden dishware, wondering what I should do now. They all sat at the table; Mo, Resa, and Meggie, who I hadn't known was in the cabin. Resa motioned me to sit in front of her. I did, and began to engulf the food. I hadn't eaten since noon, and was ravenous. The stew was actually quite good, as Resa had promised.

We all ate in silence for a while, then Resa broke the silence.

"Tell us, how did you get here? I really didn't think any one else was like Mo or Meggie."

I sat my spoon down, swallowed my last bite of stew, then explained my tale, from the beginning. They listened patiently until I finished, suddenly feeling exhausted.

"You poor dear. You never meant to come here, did you?" Resa asked.

I shook my head. Being in the cabin, surrounded by their family...it made me think of mine. The life I had left behind. My parents, my cat, my friends. A wave of sorrow washed over me but I held back the tears that wanted to flow.

"Thank you for your kindness. I will stay out of your way, most of time", I stated.

"Don't worry about it, Tiffany. Your not in our way. It's been a long time since we have seen any one from Earth", Resa assured me. She took the bowls, and cleaned up, then showed me where they had already put together a cot and some blankets for me. Laying down, I sighed and thought of home, while the other's turned out the lights. Before I drifted to sleep, I thought suddenly of Meggie. She hadn't spoken a word to me since I had arrived. Just stared at me, like a foreign creature. Oh well. At least I was in the strolling player's camp.

I'll worry about the rest later.

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**And so ends chapter 7. Review, please. PLEASE!!! Chapter 8 will come soon. Bye!**


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